However, much like Robin, Nightwing, and Catwoman in Arkham City, players will not be limited to playing as the Dark Knight this round. Not only will Origins feature a full competitive multiplayer offering, where gamers align themselves with either Batman and the Boy Wonder or one of several villain factions, the game also brings back invisible predator and combat challenge modes, allowing players to take-on the role of fan-favorite antihero Deathstroke the Terminator in addition to Batman (with the possibility of other characters post-release).

Check out the trailer of Deathstroke in action (at the top of the page) and, if you missed out on pre-order details, read-up on what you’ll get by securing your copy of the game prior to launch:

“100 to 1″ – a Combat challenge map where Deathstroke, presumably, fights through 100 enemies (and racks up high scores through combo multipliers) with an arsenal that includes a rifle-staff, sword, firearms, and explosives, among other tools.

Arkham Origins Deathstroke – Deathstroke’s costume from the single player Arkham Origins campaign.

Unlike the Catwoman DLC for Arkham City, the Deathstroke pre-order does not include a separate campaign chapter, collectibles, or free-roam capability, and is solely tied to the challenge rooms (like Robin and Nightwing in the previous installment). Meaning that the Deathstroke pre-order DLC is more about enjoying a variation on Batman’s combat and predator mechanics than it is expanding on the Deathstroke character outside of the main Arkham Origins narrative.

Still, given the amount of fresh weaponry and mechanics that are unique to Deathstroke, players will likely find that the assassin is an improvement over similar offerings in the past (The Joker and, as mentioned before, Robin and Nightwing). Playing as the Joker in Arkham Asylum was fun (and helped snag some of the higher combo achievements and trophies) but wasn’t nearly as refined as the core Batman gameplay. Similarly, while Catwoman was a fun tangent with some creative twists on primary combat features, both Robin and Nightwing were extremely similar to the Dark Knight – despite a few minor differences that, for many, did not justify the relatively high DLC cost ($4.99 a piece).

Of course, not everyone will decide to snag a pre-order copy ahead of time and secure their playable Deathstroke, but reluctant gamers who are waiting for Batman: Arkham Origins reviews shouldn’t fret – as Warner Bros. Interactive will, very likely, offer the DLC up down the line for purchase (likely at that previous $4.99 price point). Nearly all of the DLC costumes for Injustice: Gods Among Us has been made available post release and every single piece of Batman: Arkham City DLC (costumes, challenge maps, and characters) were all released within months of release (for a price). As a result, it’s highly unlikely (though admittedly not guaranteed) that the Deathstroke pre-order “exclusive” would be more accurately described as a “timed exclusive.”

That said, if you’re really concerned about playing as Deathstroke, the best thing to do is pre-order the game from your retailer of choice – prior to release at the end of October. Should you choose to pre-order your copy on the PS3, you’ll also receive the recently detailed Knightfall DLC pack too (which might actually be a console exclusive and therefore unlikely to appear on PC, Wii U, or Xbox 360)!

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Batman: Arkham Origins will be available on PC, PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360 on October 25, 2013.

Follow me on Twitter @benkendrick for further updates on Batman: Arkham Origins as well as future movie, TV, and gaming news.